Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in family life, relationships and marriage.

The population reached nearly 190,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Barking and Dagenham increased by 13%, from just under 164,000 to 186,000.

The addition of almost 22,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Barking and Dagenham was home to, on average, 37 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Barking and Dagenham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Barking and Dagenham decreased by two years, from 34 to 32 years.

This urban area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 8,000 children under the age of nine years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 18% of people in Barking and Dagenham are aged under nine years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Barking and Dagenham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in slightly limiting disability

Barking and Dagenham saw England's largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) in Barking and Dagenham reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.7% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.0% to 4.1%.

Eden saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 7.1% to 8.0%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability in Barking and Dagenham decreased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Barking and Dagenham, London and England that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with children

Barking and Dagenham saw England's largest rise in the proportion of households with children.

During this period, Barking and Dagenham overtook 10 local authority areas, including Halton and Tamworth, to become the English local authority area with the highest percentage of households with children.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (42%) households in Barking and Dagenham had at least one dependent child, compared with 34% in 2001. The percentage with no children decreased from 55% to 48%.

Redbridge saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of households with children (from 33% to 39%).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across London

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

Barking and Dagenham saw England's largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people.

During this period, Barking and Dagenham overtook 31 local authority areas, including Hammersmith and Fulham and Lambeth, to become the English local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of unemployed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.3%) people aged 16 to 74 in Barking and Dagenham said they were unemployed, compared with 4.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 50% to 47%.

Wolverhampton saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people (from 5.3% to 7.9%).

The rate of unemployment in Barking and Dagenham increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Barking and Dagenham, London and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Barking and Dagenham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care decreased from 2.7% to 2.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care fell at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across England. The improvement brought health in Barking and Dagenham close to the regional average 1.8% in London described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Barking and Dagenham remained close to 2.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Barking and Dagenham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Barking and Dagenham saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

During this period, Barking and Dagenham overtook Liverpool, Newham and Knowsley to become the English local authority area with the highest percentage of single-parent households.

In 2011, just under one in five (19%) households in Barking and Dagenham had a single parent, compared with 15% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 32% to 29%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of single-parent households occurred in Enfield (from 11% to 17%) followed by Slough (from 8.7% to 13%).

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Barking and Dagenham increased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Barking and Dagenham, London and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Barking and Dagenham

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Barking and Dagenham at a faster rate than in Redbridge (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Barking and Dagenham).

In Barking and Dagenham, the proportion of single people increased from 34% in 2001 to 39% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Redbridge increased from 32% to 35%.

Across London, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 41% to 44%.

The proportion of married people in Barking and Dagenham fell from 46% to 42%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 12% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Barking and Dagenham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11% to 6.1% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Barking and Dagenham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across London, while the percentage of residents that perceived their health as good or very good grew faster than anywhere else in the region

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Barking and Dagenham decreased by 4.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Barking and Dagenham, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Barking and Dagenham saw London's largest fall in the proportion of people working long hours.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Barking and Dagenham said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage that worked less than 16 hours in a week increased from 1.4% to 3.1%.

Across the region, Enfield saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people working long hours (from 12% in 2001 to 8.6% in 2011).

Long hour working in Barking and Dagenham decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Barking and Dagenham, London and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Barking and Dagenham

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 19% said they had no religion. The figure increased from 19% in 2001

The number of people in Barking and Dagenham that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 25,000 in 2001 to about 35,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 15% to 19% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious affiliation.

The percentage increased by less than the average across London (from 16% to 21%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Barking and Dagenham that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 110,000 in 2001 to just over 100,000 in 2011 (from 69% to 56%). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from just over 7,100 to just under 26,000 (from 4.4% to 14%).

Just under 12,000 people (8.4%) did not state their religion, down from just under 14,000 in 2001 (6.4%).

The population without a religion in Barking and Dagenham increased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Barking and Dagenham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Barking and Dagenham that rented privately increased from 5.7% to 18% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) households lived in social housing, compared with 37% in 2001. The percentage of Barking and Dagenham households that owned their home decreased from 56% to 46%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 15% in 2001 to 25% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Barking and Dagenham increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of households in Barking and Dagenham, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Barking and Dagenham

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 58% said they were from the White ethnic groups. The figure increased from 58% in 2001

The number of people in Barking and Dagenham from the White ethnic groups decreased from just under 140,000 in 2001 to about 110,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 85% to 58% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across London (from 71% to 60%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Barking and Dagenham from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 11,000 in 2001 to about 37,000 in 2011 (from 7.0% to 20%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 9,100 to just under 30,000 (from 5.5% to 16%).

About 7,900 people (1.9%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 3,100 in 2001 (4.2%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Barking and Dagenham decreased by 27 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Barking and Dagenham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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